During the fall semester of the year 2001, I took an
intermediate course in ceramics offered by the Fine and
Performing Arts Department of Raritan Valley Community College,
which is located in North Branch, NJ. I had finally begun to
learn how to use a potter's wheel, and the main purpose of this
course was to perfect the skills needed to make cylinders taller
than 8 inches up to 12 inches. When the class met on September
13, our instructor, Ann Tsubota (also Chair of the Arts
Department), suggested that we make a sculptural response to the
911 attack using our first batch of cylinders. My first thought
was that, if it turned out that Islamic extremists were
responsible, it would be fitting to look for an appropriate
response in the Koran.

Koran on Punishment

It wasn't difficult to find sufficient material on punishment
in the Koran [1]. One relevant statement that I found was a quote
from the Old Testament about an eye for an eye, etc. By that
time, it was becoming clear that the rulers of Afganistan were
involved, so I began to look for an architectural symbol of that
country. Oddly enough, the Taliban themselves had recently
destroyed two monumental sculptures from the pre-Islamic era [2].
The most symbolic architecture remaining may be the 65-meter
Minaret of Jam [3]. My piece tries to suggest that there is a
connection between the cultures of Afganistan and the United
States, and when one of them is attacked, the other is
undermined. Of course, the theocratic Taliban regime in
Afganistan was overthrown just a few months later.

Hatred Considered

About a week after the attack, a picture appeared of some
people in Pakistan holding a large banner that read "America
think! why you are hated all over the world." The original
cause of this hatred is evidently American support for Israel.
But this support is strengthened, if possible, by the thought
that Israel's enemies seem to be intent on committing another
holocaust. It is ironic that America is also often blamed for
political and social problems in Islamic nations. Undoubtedly, we
have given numerous occasions for resentment out of ignorance or
indifference. However, radical Islamists who spend their energy
hating America are neglecting their own urgent best interests.

By the way, I recently viewed the highly-rated anime
"Princess Mononoke," which is about hatred and whether
or not it can be overcome [4]. I was especially struck by a line
about a fanatical group of warriors whose "hatred makes them
act stupidly." I think it would be a very good thing if
children everywhere were to view this film several times while
growing up.

A Fitting Memorial?

It is almost a year since the World Trade Center was attacked
and its landmark towers abruptly fell. The site has now been
cleared, and it should be time to start rebuilding this part of
lower Manhattan. However, the American people have apparently not
reached a consensus on the meaning of the attacks. This is the
reason, in my opinion, for the difficulty in planning
redevelopment with a fitting memorial. Responding to this lack of
clarity, Lou Dobbs recently discontinued using the euphemistic
phrase "war on terror" and started calling it a war on
radical Islamists who seek to kill unbelievers [5].

Others have pointed out that radical Islamists can read
justification for their acts into the Koran without too much
difficulty. For example, Verse 16.26 of Chapter 16 (The Bee [1] )
says:

Allah demolished their building from
the foundations, so the roof fell down on them from above
them, and the punishment came to them from whence they did
not perceive.

This is exactly what was done in the name of Allah in the
first attack on the World Trade Center [6]. Perhaps the radical
Islamists also had this verse in mind on September 11, 2001 as
they approached the towers in Boeing 767s they had hijacked
enroute from Boston to Los Angeles. They certainly made their
mark, and this thought gives rise to my idea for a memorial.

I propose that a model Tower be built showing the gashes made
by the two planes, which can be done with one building because
the attacks came from opposite directions and at different
levels. Visitors to these levels would see exhibits explaining
what happened during the attacks and also look out through the
gashes.

The lower levels of the Tower should house a "Museum of
Religious Extremes" comprising exhibits of evil acts
committed through the ages by madmen who thought they were
justified by religious beliefs. It will be difficult to explain
such acts fully without appearing to find fault with the
religious beliefs themselves. However, the line between beliefs
and actions was clearly drawn by Thomas Jefferson [7]:

"Believing with you that
religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his
God; that he owes account to none other for his faith or his
worship; that the legislative powers of the government reach
actions only, and not opinions ..."

America's ability to walk this fine line is being tested
again, and we probably have a lot of work to do before it can be
said the test was successful.

I also think new buildings on the site should be limited in
height out of consideration for uniformed personnel who may have
to respond to future emergencies.

References

1. The Koran, http://www.hti.umich.edu/k/koran
(Provided by the Online Book Initiative as translated by M.H.
Shakir and published by Tahrike Tarsile Qur'an, Inc., in 1983.)